Samoa's disputed leader is promising to build a port with Chinese help for US$100 million, about a third of the cost proposed earlier, said sources with knowledge of the situation, as he bids to stay in power despite losing a parliamentary majority in a tight election.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) deemed that the port project at Vaiusu, west of the capital Apia, was not economically viable after estimating it would cost more than US$300 million, three sources told Reuters.